West Pasadena Residents Association Annual Meeting Emphasizes Wildfire Preparedness And Insurance Reform In Wake Of Eaton Fire

With the memory of January’s devastating Eaton Fire still fresh, Pasadena residents gathered Thursday night for the West Pasadena Residents Association’s 2025 annual meeting, where officials and experts urged stronger wildfire preparedness and called attention to California’s growing insurance crisis.

Held at the Maranatha High School Student Center, the meeting focused on protecting life and property as wildfire risks intensify across the region. The Eaton Fire burned 14,000 acres across Altadena and parts of Pasadena, destroying nearly 10,000 structures and resulting in 18 deaths.

Councilmember Steve Madison praised Pasadena’s emergency response, highlighting the city’s investments in civic infrastructure. “The City responded to the Eaton Fire like a champion,” Madison said. “The Rose Bowl hosted firefighters as they worked 12-hour shifts fighting the blaze. In 90 minutes, the City turned the Convention Center into an evacuation shelter. We were able to do this because we re-invested in the Rose Bowl, the Civic Center, the Convention Center, and we will do the same for the Central Library. The renaissance of Pasadena is coming to its final stage.

Thank you to the West Pasadena Residents Association — I come here with gratitude and fellowship. We’re going to accomplish some remarkable things this year.”

Julia Juarez, deputy insurance commissioner for the California Department of Insurance, delivered the keynote address and outlined the state’s efforts to protect homeowners in the face of rising wildfire-related insurance losses and cancellations.

“If your insurance company is giving you a hard time, give us a call and we’ll make sure it’s resolved in a timely manner,” Juarez said. “Nearly 28,000 claims have been partially paid for recent L.A. fires — more than $12 billion in relief. But more is needed.”

Juarez warned that the state is in the “middle of an insurance crisis,” noting that the top 12 insurance companies control 85% of California’s home insurance market. “This creates an imbalance,” she said, explaining that the state had implemented a one-year moratorium on cancellations and non-renewals following major fire events.

In addition to promoting home hardening, Juarez encouraged communities to take collective action.

“Neighborhoods can form a Firewise community, and local jurisdictions can become certified as Fire Risk Reduction Communities,” she said. “We must build communities where we all look out for each other.”

A panel moderated by J. Lopez, executive director of the California Wildfire Mitigation Program Authority, featured speakers O.P. Almaraz of Allied Restoration Services, Beth Burnam of Firewise California, and Daniel Rossman of the One Arroyo Foundation. Topics included brush clearance in the Arroyo Seco, project funding, and jurisdictional coordination.

The meeting began with an information fair featuring city departments, vendors, and community groups. Hosted annually by West Pasadena Residents Association and free to the public, the event underscored the need for shared responsibility and civic readiness as climate-driven disasters become more frequent.

For more about the West Pasadena Residents Association click here.